1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector assembly comprising a plurality of housings stacked and combined together in a multi-stage manner.
2. Background
FIG. 6 shows a connector assembly disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho. 48-578. In this figure, this connector assembly 1 comprises two (lower and upper) housings 2 and 3 stacked and combined together in a two-stage manner. Terminals 5, each connected to an end of a wire 4, are received in each of these housings 2 and 3. Engagement recesses 6 and 6 are formed respectively in opposite side portions of an upper surface of each of the housings 2 and 3, and engagement projections 7 and 7 are formed respectively on opposite side portions of a lower surface thereof.
The two housings 2 and 3 are stacked together in a two-stage manner, and the engagement projections 7 and 7 of the upper housing 3 are engaged respectively in the engagement recesses 6 and 6 of the lower housing 2, so that the housings 2 and 3 are held in a combined condition.
In the above connector assembly 1, however, when the upper and lower housing 3 and 2 are stacked together in a two-stage manner, and are pressed against each other, the engagement projections 7 and 7 sometimes fail to be properly engaged respectively in the engagement recesses 6 and 6, and the connector in an incompletely-engaged condition is transferred to a subsequent step. In this case, when a wire harness, connected to the connector assembly 1, is moved for installation purposes, there is a possibility that the upper and lower housings 3 and 2 are disconnected from each other.
Therefore, it is proposed to confirm whether or not the two housings 2 and 3 for each connector assembly 1 have been properly combined together in a two-stage manner. In this case, however, there is encountered a problem that much time and labor are required for confirming the combined condition.
And besides, when trying to fit the connector in an incomplete condition relative to a mating connector, there is a possibility that the two housings 2 and 3 are disconnected form each other.